


Willow tree ((Kamukura X Reader One Shot))

by Anuyushi



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 11:09:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27470041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anuyushi/pseuds/Anuyushi
Summary: I can't remember, it's all just flashes; fragments of the past I cannot grasp. Why did I forget? Who... Did I forget? ♚[© 2020 |@Anuyushi ]♛
Relationships: Kamukura Izuru & Reader
Kudos: 10





	Willow tree ((Kamukura X Reader One Shot))

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to ♧☆lobster°•°Dinner♡♤ on Discord

The rain dripping down the tendrils of leaves, pattering upon the sidewalk, that was all that filled my ears.  
A long time ago, perhaps such a place brought along comfort, but could that still be said? I couldn't be sure.  
Warm sunny days that glistened the tree, and laughter that followed along of children swinging from its protective branches, where did such a place go?  
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, only to find myself sitting at my desk once more, as though I had never been standing at the tree.  
It was true, I hadn't been to such a place for a long time, so why remember now? There was no reason for it.

The rain continued rolling down the glass window, leaking through the crack and down the caramel-colored walls.  
It was lucky there was no outlet beside my desk, but that didn't change the discomfort of my shoes sitting in the accumulated puddle.  
I could hear my classmates around me chattering excitedly about winter break, their voices all drowning each other out.  
I had nearly forgotten about winter break and the upcoming Christmas, I hadn't bought anyone anything, and it was unlikely they got me anything either.  
It wasn't as though I was hated; rather, I would have liked to say I had many friends, but I hadn't asked for a thing this Christmas.  
It almost felt like... Like I was waiting for something. Not even I knew what it was, my memory was failing me today.  
What a silly thing to think, waiting for something like that.

As the bell rang, I pulled myself up and shook off the water from my shoes.  
The other students didn't waste a second in rushing out of the classroom, ready to start their winter break without school.  
An exhale left my lips, but I didn't wait to follow them out the door either, paying no mind to the rushing halls.  
I would be able to return home, get dressed in warm pajamas, drink hot chocolate, and...  
No, I was forgetting something.

My running came to a halt, nearly causing some other students to run into my back.  
"Sorry-!" My voice carried over everyone else as I caught a glimpse of their annoyed faces walking around me.  
Thank goodness I didn't know them personally, but something was egging my mind. 

It wasn't the first time such things had happened; in fact, for the past few weeks, this feeling had been nagging me; begging my brain to recall.  
The willow tree was the first thing I had truly recalled the entire time, but why that?  
It was a place I hadn't visit since childhood, so then...

"Think brain," I leaned myself against the wall as the words escaped my lips.  
The faces of everyone passing me, the colors of their clothes, the sounds of their voices, it was blurring together, to a point I no longer felt real. "What am I forgetting?"  
My thoughts traveled back to the willow tree; and I could recall smiling, enjoying the shade.  
There was laughter in the air, and I could see...

I could see someone's eyes.  
But the moment I tried to recall their face, a sharp pang hit my chest. So sudden, and it was gone just as fast, I couldn't even tell if it was painful or not.  
What then... What was it?

There was no point in attempting to remember everything right then, at least.  
I needed to make my way home first, and think about it then.

But the walk home, my brain couldn't wrap around anything. What were these gaps in my memory?  
Who was it I had seen, and why did I forget? 

It was almost infuriating for it to be on the tip of my tongue, then vanish just like that.  
Unfortunately, I had forgotten my umbrella of course, because that seemed to be a streak happening. There was nothing I could do about the rain pelting down, making me look more like a drowned rat than a human.

The moment I opened the front door, my mother's eyes turned to me, wide and worried.  
"(Y/N), you're completely soaked," She stood up from the couch, "Hurry and change before you catch a cold. I'll make you some warm soup."  
"Sure," I had no will to argue, not after the long mental battle I had on my way home. As she made her way to the kitchen, I slung my backpack off my shoulder and left it by the front door. "Hey, mom?"

She hummed a question, urging me to continue,  
"Do you happen to remember me playing at the willow tree when I was little?"  
It was unlikely she'd know anything, but there was no harm in asking.  
For a split second, she hesitated, fingers twitching around an empty bowl pulled from the cupboard,  
"Why bother asking about that? It was a long time ago. You should be worried about here and now, where you're playing in your dresser to find dry clothes."  
It was an expected response, really. But why did she seem so... On edge?

With a sigh, I made my way to the bedroom and did as she asked, finding fresh clothes and dumping the wet ones in the laundry hamper.  
The willow tree wasn't too far a walk, but for the longest time, I felt troubled about going and never did.

Why was that? Everything felt linked, but I was missing something important.  
"It will be okay, just jump."

An unfamiliar voice echoed within my ears.

"(Y/N)? Are you running a fashion show in there? What's taking so long?"  
Mother's voice ripped the memory away, and as much as I tried, I couldn't pull it up once again.  
It was at that moment, I wanted to scream at the universe for such an inconvenient timing.  
Despite that, I bottled that for later, and exit back into the living room where mother handed the warm soup out.  
She was right about one thing, I needed it, especially feeling the warmth spread to my fingertips.

"Now eat up," She attempted a pained smile. "You don't have school tomorrow, right? Didn't winter break start today?"  
"Yeah," My eyes lowered to the soup as I sat down at the dining room table. I didn't have an interest in talking, but she continued anyway.  
"How about inviting some friends to go out somewhere? I'm sure you all are excited. Christmas is soon, so I could lend you some money for gifts."

My thoughts were no longer focused on mother's words, but rather... Lights. Why could I remember lights?  
People crying around me, but why were they crying? I didn't remember being hurt at all, right?  
No, it wasn't just crying, but yelling. Why were they yelling, why were people angry?  
"(Y/N)?" Mother's voice brought me back to reality.  
I pulled my eyes out of the soup to look at her puzzled expression.

"Can I tell you something?" How was I even going to explain it? Yet, I needed to know what she knew, I was tired of these flashes already, I was exhausted of feeling like I was forgetting something important.  
Even as my phone buzzed with friend's texting, it was quickly pushed to the back of my mind.  
"Of course, you can tell me anything. What is it? Are you coming out? Or are you dating-?"  
"No, mom," I shut that down quickly, "It's nothing like that. I just feel like I'm, uh, missing something."  
God, this was awkward. 

She kept quiet though, allowing me to continue.  
"Did anything happen when I was little? It's coming back in pieces and it's just," I couldn't help a laugh to lighten the mood, "It's driving me crazy. All I can really remember is the willow tree, so if you could maybe fill me in-"

I was quickly cut off by mother standing up,  
"I'll tell you, but only if you promise to never return to the willow tree, understand?"  
With her serious tone, I couldn't possibly argue, and instead nodded quickly, almost spilling the soup as I did.

With a disgruntled look, she moved closer and sat beside me.

"Be careful,"  
My eyes looked down to the boy standing on the ground below me.  
His eyes sparkled a dazzling ruby red, but his face turned with concern.  
"I'll be fine!" I clung to the trunk tightly, grinning ear to ear.  
"It rained recently, your grip may not be the best right now. If you fall-"  
"You'll catch me, of course." I swiftly cut him off before he ruined the fun with a lecture.  
The boy's cheeks turned a small rosy pink, which he was quick to cover up by using his long hair to use as a face cover.  
"Obviously," He spoke behind his dark locks. "But only if you need it. If you scrape your knee because you weren't being careful, I won't help."  
Paying him no mind, I pulled myself higher and reached out to take one of the tall branches and allowed myself to swing a few seconds before hoisting myself higher to sit atop it.  
"This is really fun!" I couldn't help taunting from below. "Aren't you supposed to be good at everything? You should be able to join me easily!"  
"It doesn't work like that," The boy averted his eyes. "The surgery only made me smarter, I'm still going through training to get stronger.  
I felt the wet branch dampening my clothes, and my hands slick, but there was no problem, he was always over-worrying.  
He...  
What was his name again?  
"Well, you'll get stronger if you climb up here and join me."  
For a moment, he almost looked hesitant as the idea likely crossed his mind to actually try to enjoy being a child, but before he even made a move, I heard the branch under me make a cracking noise and gripped tighter.  
"(Y/N)?" He called up, any thoughts of fun vanishing in a heartbeat. "Are you alright?"  
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words escaped.  
As I heard another snap, I knew I was not okay in the slightest.  
His eyes widened as he hurred beneath, "It will be okay, just jump."  
The boy's voice was calm as he made an attempt to relax me, but it didn't do much as it was just followed by another crack. The weight under me suddenly dropped, and almost instantly, pain shot through me.

I didn't feel like I was flying at all as the movies portrayed.  
It was simply instant, and the world around me was spinning.

"(Y/N)?" His voice sounded panicked, but I couldn't see his face. "(Y/N), I'm so sorry, I thought I was strong enough to- I will get someone, just wait here,"  
What was he talking about? I wasn't even sure what had happened.

But my consciousness faded out.  
How long had I been out? My head was hurting so much, it felt like my skull wanted to split in half.  
But the sound of voices awoke me,  
The voice of my mother crying beside me, and yelling nearby,

"How could this happen?" Someone snapped from afar,

"I'm sorry! I tried to catch them but I didn't know I wasn't strong enough yet," The boy's voice shook in fear.

"You dropped my child!" 

I wanted to call out to mother, and ask her to not yell at my friend, but I could barely move. It wasn't his fault, it was mine.  
He tried to stop me, the rain must have made the branches weaker, but...  
Things were escaping me quicker than I could hold onto them.  
"They could have permanent damage because of you, you're lucky they aren't dead!"  
The yelling towards him melted into the background as the pain took over. I could feel myself being lifted up and the flashing of ambulance lights, but the last thing I could see before everything went dark around me was the waving leaves of the willow tree.

"You were in the hospital for weeks," Mother finished her story, "We were just lucky you were alive, let alone remembered your own name."  
I did recall being in the hospital when I was younger, but I never thought much of it, nobody told me why I was really there, or rather they avoided it and allowed me to forget what happened.

I had simply thought I was too young for it to have been important.  
"The boy you mentioned," I avoided eye contact, "Who was he? What happened to him?"  
"He took the fault for your incident," Mother sounded calm as ever. "And was forced to return to the laboratory. I haven't allowed him to come near here since, so I forbid you to try and seek him out."

"Wait!" I jumped up quickly, just about knocking my soup over completely. "But didn't he try to save me? It wasn't his fault!"

"It would have been better if he didn't try at all," Mother's voice went cold, "Izuru Kamukura was a dangerous, artificial child, and he'll be a dangerous teenager now. He was selfish and full of himself. Because he thought he could do anything, you were dropped on your head."  
"He tried to do something, he was only a child."

"And my only child ended up in the hospital because of him!"

Mother's shouting filled my heart with a hint of fear, she had never been so angry and loud before.  
Could he really had been so dangerous??  
It was... Hard to take her word for it after hearing the story, after hearing how furious she was at a mere child.

Without another word, I made my way to the door. Despite my mother's yelling to stop, I couldn't; I wouldn't.

The rain was still heavy and I could barely see in front of my face, but I knew where the willow tree was.

It was starting to make sense now, how I had forgotten from a head injury, why I was remembering the willow tree.

My heart pounded in my chest and I didn't know why; there was no guarantee he would even be there; how many years had it been?

Why would he be there on some random day, in some random year? Did he even still remember me?  
Even still, I wanted to see him again; even if I couldn't clearly remember his face, I wanted to fall to my knees and beg him to forgive me for everything he went through because I was stupid.

As I approached the willow tree, it was just as I remembered it.  
My phone buzzed, and I hurried under the tree's protection to check it. Just in case, of course.  
Messages from friends wanting to know my plans for winter break, a missed call from mother already, which was expected.

The newest message being from an unknown number, being a jumbled mess of letters.  
"What the..."  
"It is troublesome to type in the downpour," A voice suddenly brought me to look up and face the man standing beside me. He held up his phone to show the waterlogged screen as he leaned against the trunk.

Familiar looks... It couldn't be, could it? I put my phone away and kept him in a steady gaze. 

"Who are you?"  
He kept quiet a long moment before giving a sigh and turning away, his long black hair flowing around him.  
"And after I consumed so much time hunting documents for your number."  
It couldn't be him, it just sounded like a stalker, for the most part.

I found myself backing away, but his red eyes looked back to me, narrowed him thought.  
"You still don't recollect," As silence fell between us, he pulled himself up and pocketed his phone. "Then let me rephrase it better. I have spent a long time scrutinizing the human mind, comprehending your condition when I wasn't even permitted to see you. My verdicts led me to this day, right now," He cocked his head ever so slightly, "That your memory would be endeavoring to slice through and you would seek me out again. Am I wrong?"

That... That wasn't possible! How could someone track something like that? I had never seen the man in my life, have I?  
And yet, perhaps...

"Are you... Izuru Kamukura?"  
He gave a slow nod, followed with a gentle blink. I couldn't deny he was rather beautiful but was this really the boy I had played at the willow tree with as children?  
He didn't look a thing like I had expected him to. Not like that was a bad thing; rather, he had perfect features, almost like a model.

"What happened after that day?" So many questions filled my mind, but that wracked my brain first.  
Kamukura sighed out, "Boring," He looked to the ground, then back my way. "I was condemned for your misfortune. That is just how people are, trying to determine where to put the fault or blame when something unfortunate happens. The scientists returned me to the lab and picked my brain to find my error. I spent the next few years training myself up to become stronger, for the chance I ever need to protect you again, of course."

Why did those words make my heart feel pain? It wasn't a bad feeling of pain. Honestly, I couldn't explain it if I tried.  
But something pulled me in, and I wrapped my arm around him without thinking. He didn't move, nor speak, allowing me to keep him in my arms for as long as I desired.  
"I'm sorry," I whispered beside his ear, "I'm sorry for everything you went through because of me."  
"We were children," His voice lowered to a gentle husk that ran up my spine, "There is nobody to condemn. I am simply glad the laboratory allowed me to leave."

I could feel the warmth in his hug, which was a little funny, because we were both soaking wet from the rain.  
He was the first to pull back and look me down with steady, analyzing eyes. I could only wonder what he was searching for.  
Izuru seemed intelligent, could he have been reading something I didn't even realize I was showing?  
That was all I could think of before he suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. 

"Christmas is coming soon, so I brought this, as a gift for all the ones we missed."  
"I couldn't-"  
The box was pearl white, tied with a red-laced ribbon.  
Of course I wanted to, but it still felt odd to simply accept gifts from him after so long of not even remembering who he was.  
Izuru still felt like a stranger, and while I didn't like acknowledging that, it was true.  
"Something is troubling you," His remark cut through my thoughts at the speed of light. "You are uncomfortable, it is obvious."  
"I'm sorry," I lowered my gaze to the ground.

How many times was I going to apologize?  
The sound of the rain around us was calming, yet only sparked more anxiety, like a pit of evil in my stomach.  
The silence only continued to draw out, and I nearly thought it best to step back and walk away. Perhaps mother was right, and he was truly a dangerous teenager after all.

It wasn't something I wanted to accept, or even think about. What on earth was I doing? I barely even knew the guy.  
Finally, he lowered his hand, still clutched around the box.

"Do you recall the day we promised to meet beneath the willow tree every December first to exchange gifts?" He questioned quietly. When I didn't answer, or rather, couldn't without feeling bad, he continued. "You claimed it was because that was the day you wanted to be wed."  
My heart thrummed quickly, and I pulled my eyes back up. I didn't remember such a thing at all, could that have been the truth?  
He kept going, seeing as he captured my attention.

"I did question why you desired to marry someone such as myself; I was a flawed child, created in a lab for the sake of being perfect, and I even failed at that."  
"Marry... You?" I couldn't quite understand what he was saying, but I didn't oppose the idea. Rather, it almost sounded right. "But that isn't true, you were never flawed. You were perfect how you were!"

His sharp eyes narrowed, ruby's sparkling in the darkness.  
The rain brought along a gust of wind with it, causing his dark hair to tumble down his back and flow to the movements of the willow tree leaves.  
I shivered from the sudden cold and wrapped my arms around my wet body, only for his stare to suddenly catch me,  
"I remembered, didn't I?" I couldn't help a smile at that, "I think I'm starting to remember. We would play here all the time, and I promised myself to you, didn't I?"  
"And I to you," He averted eye contact, "We promised to not tell another soul either, it was too embarrassing for you to be in love at the time. I requested the lab to let me leave once a year, upon our agreed date, but you never arrived again. I started my research after three years."

"I'm..." I almost wanted to say sorry again, I should have, I felt like I needed to, but his stern gaze kept me quiet for him to keep going.  
"Apologizing for something you had no control over is incredibly dull," It was as though he could read my mind. "You came this year though."  
Once more, he offered the box and I found myself reluctantly accepting it. I couldn't refute I felt bad about taking a gift from Kamukura, but it was the least I could do after so long of him waiting for me.

With a gentle pull, the ribbon fell into my fingers, almost instantly being picked up and taken by the wind.  
I could feel the downpour getting stronger, and the willow tree was no longer a very good cover from it.  
As I opened the box though, a flash of diamond crossed my eyes as I found myself looking back to a beautiful ring.  
"It is yours, if you will take it," He exhaled, "And we can marry the day you graduate if that pleases you."  
"That sounds good," 

What was happening to my heart? I couldn't even look upon his face as I pulled the ring out and placed it on my own finger.  
I came out here to meet an old companion and now...  
Was this even real life?

I clenched my hand and looked up to him, my memory becoming as clear and bright as the gift he had just offered.  
"All the time we spent together, how could I forget it? How could I forget you? And you did all this to bring me a gift and I-"  
I couldn't finish; how selfish had I been all these years?

Kamukura had been innocent in everything and took the blame for my fall, only to show up with the best gift I'd ever been given, and I couldn't have brought anything on my own?

My memories were coming back, like a bridge had broken. He used to be such a happy child; one that cared and was thoughtful; and now he seemed cold and logical.  
What did they do to him in the lab because of me?

Yet looking at him now, he didn't seem to care in the slightest. He rolled his shoulders and turned away once more,  
"I was already given my gift by you arriving. You should return home before your mother becomes distraught."  
I didn't want to leave yet, but he was right.

Things would only become worse the longer I was gone. But was it really alright to leave so soon after meeting again?  
Seeing my concern, he cocked his head like a curious puppy.  
"Are you worried about me? Do not bother; I will come back tomorrow. Will you?"  
"Yeah," Giving a nod, I stepped closer, nearly about to hug him once more, but something stopped me.  
Izuru Kamukura... My old friend, my promised partner... 

I reached up to cup his cheek, and he didn't stop me as I leaned in and took a small kiss.  
As I imagined it, his lips were soft and warm, oddly natural to kiss. 

He didn't stop me or pull away, rather, he gave in, and returned the kiss ever so softly.  
When it was time to pull back, I gave a smile, "I won't forget this time. I love you!"

"(Y/N)..." My name left his lips. My heart beat in my chest, waiting for him to tell me whatever it was, only for him to give a slow blink, "Change your clothes when you get home before you catch a cold."


End file.
